A gas-filled dot matrix display panel having memory is disclosed in copending application Ser. No. 051,313, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,386,348, filed June 22, 1979, of George E. Holz and James A. Ogle, which is incorporated herein by reference. This panel includes a matrix of D.C. scanning cells arrayed in rows and columns and a matrix of quasi A.C. display cells which are in operative relation with the scanning cells. In the panel, there is one scan cell for each display cell. The panel includes a relatively complex array of electrodes, and the scanning operation and addressing of display cells are relatively complex procedures.
This panel, in a rather large size, utilizes a cross groove at both ends of the base plate as part of the seal between the base plate and the face plate of the panel. The cross grooves are filled with sealing material which bonds to the face plate. This arrangement works generally satisfactorily; however, at times, the seal material in the cross grooves is of uneven thickness, and this prevents the formation of an hermetic seal between the base plate and face plate. A display panel using a cross groove of this type is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,352,040, dated Sept. 28, 1982, of Nicholas Andreadakis, which is incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention solves this problem in a manner described below.